2018 was definitely a bucket list year!  On May 21 Guns N’ Roses announced their Fall 2018 Asian tour.  Two weeks later, they added South Africa. Initially, I was only thinking about going to Hong Kong. In addition to the obvious allure of such an exotic and beautiful location, my finance brain was eager to take advantage of the very favorable foreign exchange rate for Hong Kong Dollar to USD.  I then looked at GN’R’s tour schedule.  Following two performances in Hong Kong, they were scheduled to go to Abu Dhabi and then conclude in Johannesburg.  I’ve always wanted to go to South Africa.  It’s a long journey from either New York or Los Angeles, but not quite so far from Hong Kong!  And the foreign exchange rate for South African Rand to USD is twice as favorable as HKG to USD!  This would be Guns N’ Roses very first concert appearance in South Africa, and it was being held at a world cup soccer stadium! I was able to get a non-stop flight from Hong Kong to Johannesburg on South African Airways.  By skipping Abu Dhabi, this gave me plenty of tourist time in both Hong Kong and South Africa.  The final selling point was a non-stop flight from Johannesburg to JFK, with a four hour layover in New York, before a non-stop flight back to Los Angeles! How could you pass that up?  Everything about this trip made sense.  I treated myself to flatbed business class for the 13 hour flight from HKG to Johannesburg, and the 17 hour flight from Johannesburg to JFK.  It was still a great deal because of the exchange rate. You have to seize opportunity when it presents!

And as luck would have it, in the 15 ½ hour flight from LAX to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, for which I purchased a premium economy ticket, I was upgraded to flatbed business!  I should note this was my very first time flying on Cathay Pacific, a member of the One World Alliance, as is American Airlines.  I have been an American Airlines Advantage Member for many years.  Recently, American added a non-stop route LAX to HKG, competing with Cathay Pacific.  I can tell you that in all the years I have flown with American, never once was I upgraded to first or business class, and certainly not for an overseas flight in a flatbed pod.  About the most I can expect from American Airlines these days is a miserable travel experience with delays, missed connections, and rude unprofessional behavior. Some travelers will put up with that for dirt cheap airfares, with an airline that has the most travel routes in the world.  I will not. Cathay Pacific has certainly had their share of challenges recently, but where they distinguish themselves, is in their ability to provide far superior service!

If you have an opportunity to visit Hong Kong, I highly recommend visiting the Island of Lantau, where most of my time was spent.  The airport is located there, in close proximity to the concert venue, the Asia World Expo, and the conveniently connected Hong Kong Sky City Marriott. After flying 15 ½ hours to a destination 17 hours ahead in time, it was great to stay at a very nice hotel close by, and all right on the shore of the South China Sea!  The island of Lantau is far less crowded than the main Hong Kong island, and is home to some pretty amazing tourist attractions.

I hit the ground running and met a few members of GN’R’s tour management at the hotel bar that first night and scored a couple of Slash picks!  The next day was the first of two performances at this intimate arena, with very organized and disciplined security that made the process of lining up and getting into the pit area stress free.  This is no small feat let me tell you.  I should note that the crowd in the pit was very young, primarily college age students.  I met one group of fans, all college students from mainland China, who traveled seven hours by train and boat to reach the Asia World Expo.  Streaming music is big in China, and these young kids, who weren’t even born when GN’R’s debut album “Appetite for Destruction” was released, were turned on to this iconic 80’s Rock&Roll Band by Tencent Music, which is the equivalent of Spotify in China.

Guns N’ Roses powered through all the classics, and the energy in the arena was electric! The second night was even better.  Axl Rose is the consummate Rock&Roll frontman!  At 56 years of age, his three hour + performances, running back and forth across a very large stage, would be challenging for most.  Slash is the ultimate shredder, with rivers of sweat pouring down his arms, hands, and fingers, never missing a beat.  I should note that at the Johannesburg performance, one of his guitar strings broke during the Rocket Queen solo.  With top hat and sunglasses in place, and masses of curly hair all around his face, he made it through this incredibly long solo in brilliant fashion, before a final required guitar change.  The members of Guns N’ Roses have a work ethic second to none!  The final point I’d like to make, is that traveling to faraway places to see Guns N’ Roses, is a wonderful network of friends, highly devoted to this band, and always encouraging, strategic, and adventurous!

It was then on to a magnificent day of sightseeing that began with a ride on the  Tung Chung Cable Car up to the Po Lin Monastery and the Giant Buddha.  Yes I like action vacations and opportunities to overcome my incredible fear of heights!  Perhaps next visit I will choose the cable car with the glass bottom, but for now I’ll give myself some credit for being able to stand up hands free in the regular cable car. We had lunch at the Po Lin Monastery and then scaled 286 steps to the Giant Buddha!  We then traveled down the other side of the hill to the Tai O Fishing Village where we embarked on a boat ride into the harbor and out into the South China Sea! 

The adventure continued the following night, leaving Hong Kong International Airport at 9:45PM and arriving early Saturday morning to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa.  My driver from the Protea Marriott Hotel was there to meet me and we actually stopped at a local Shop Rite to fetch my Golden Circle Early Entry ticket for the concert, before arriving at the hotel.  This was very efficient, which I most appreciated!

I settled in over the weekend and relaxed at the rooftop pool on the 24^thfloor.  I struck up a conversation with a woman who divides her time between San Diego and Washington DC, who works for an NGO that is filming a documentary about the Rising Star Cave System, part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.  In 2013, a historic fossil discovery of Homo naledi, one of the largest hominin finds in history, was made in the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star Cave. This discovery has challenged scientists to reconsider what it means to be human! And yes this was on my tourist schedule for the upcoming week!

Before we get to that adventure, my week began at 5:45AM on Monday when a tour van picked me up at my hotel to bring a small group of us to the Pilanesberg National Park, the fourth largest game reserve in South Africa, about a 2 ½ hour drive from Johannesburg. If you’re looking for the best one day safari adventure centered around Johannesburg, this is it! It should be noted that all the animals in this reserve, which include the Big Five, live free with no human intervention, other than patrols to safeguard animals from poachers.  This strategy is clearly working as we saw many species of animals with both adults and babies.  As an animal lover it was a delightful expedition!  We went out in the morning on a three hour ride in an open air vehicle. After lunch by the Hippo pool, we went out again in the open air vehicle for about two and half hours.  I hope you enjoy the many photos below.  We stopped at a market and did some shopping in our return to Johannesburg, returning to the hotel around 7PM.  It was a long day but well worth it!

The next day we traveled to the Sterkfontein Caves and the Cradle of Humankind, which thankfully started with the tour van picking me up at 9:30AM. Sleep is highly overrated when you’re a person of action and adventure!  The Sterkfontein Caves, loaded with limestone and other precious minerals, are home to some highly acclaimed fossils, including Mrs. Ples and Little Foot, the lat­ter being an almost com­plete Aus­tralo­p­ithe­cus skele­ton dat­ing back more than three mil­lion years!  The tour took us deep into the cave, which requires you to wear a hard hat.  I was a little worried about being claustrophobic, but I can assure you it was fine.  Next it was on to the Cradle of Humankind, a very interesting museum where we learned all about Homo naledi and the significance South Africa plays in the evolution of our history.  I highly recommend taking this tour and please check out the photos below!

On my final day of sightseeing, we made a number of stops, beginning at the 50 story Carlton Centre, which is the tallest building on the African continent!  Next it was on to Constitution Hill, home to the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the highest court in the land, and the prison where Nelson Mandela began his 27 year sentence for being a political activist.  The court chamber was designed with windows that allow you to see the former prison, now a museum, with the guiding principle that transparency will be a prevailing force within their justice system.  Next we went to the Apartheid Museum in Gold Reef City, which does not permit photos.  When we entered and tickets were distributed, I received one that read “NIE-BLANKES, NON-WHITES”.  The creators of this museum try to replicate, as best as possible, what it was like to live under Apartheid rule.  We concluded the day in Soweto, at the home Nelson Mandela lived in before and after he was sent to prison.  We then walked down Orlando West street, where merchants are eager to sell you their handmade fare, and where you will find the Tutu House, home to 87 year old Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah.  What an incredible day!

Later that evening, I organized a Guns N’ Roses fan meet up on the rooftop bar at my hotel.  My friend Toshie, an avid world traveler and highly devoted GN’R fan from Tokyo, had arrived on Tuesday from the Abu Dhabi performance. Joining us were Rabea, Nadine, and Rabea’s husband, who were staying at a hotel down the block.  I first met Rabea and Nadine, who hail from Frankfurt, Germany, at a horror movie screening with Slash in February 2016 at the iconic London Hotel in West Hollywood! The world is a small place when you’re a Guns N’ Roses fan and you make smart use of social media to stay connected. We had a terrific time, and the bar piped Guns N’ Roses music through their speakers, connected through WIFI from my iPhone!

Now we were all set for the big day, Thursday November 29!  Our golden circle early entry ticket instructions advised that VIP check in would begin at 4PM.  We had arranged through the hotel to be dropped off around 1PM, nervous that there would be a long line of VIP people arriving early, and determined to be in the first row, “on the rail”.  This is what it’s like to be a devoted Guns N’ Roses fan.  It’s not for the faint of heart, let me tell you! Security at the FNB Stadium was outstanding, even better than in Hong Kong.  They had an army of large security men walk all of the VIP ticketholders slowly and calmly into the pit and we basically walked to the rail. Outstanding!

And there I was, with some terrific friends old and new, hailing from Germany, Japan, Australia, Argentina, and South Africa, in a world cup soccer stadium, half way around the world, “on the rail” to see one of the greatest Rock&Roll bands of all time!  I don’t think it gets much better than that!  And our beloved rockers of course delivered once again.  I should note that Axl Rose apparently suffered with food poisoning in Abu Dhabi and had to cut that concert performance short at two hours, which is laughable to say the least, as most bands that age don’t even play that long. Guns N’ Roses performs for a minimum of three hours, and once was on the stage four hours! Yes the band has come a long way since the early days of their meteoric rise to fame in the late 1980’s, characterized by well noted debauchery, mayhem, and tardiness.  The musical brilliance that arises from such personality and behavior is still there thank goodness, and combined with a mature and very responsible work ethic today, is the formula for success that made this #NotInThisLifetime tour one for the record books!  Thank you Axl, Slash, Duff, Richard, Dizzy, Frank, and Melissa!

Let’s see, what should I take you out with?  You can’t argue with tradition!  Paradise City

Elias surprised me at LAX, on the same flight to Hong Kong!

The core fan group lining up for the GA Pit Hong Kong Night 1 with Guilherme in the middle, a member of GN’R’s management team!

A group of college students from mainland China, who traveled 7 hours by train and boat to see Guns N’ Roses in Hong Kong

Slash Hong Kong Night 1

Hong Kong Night 2 on the rail with Erin, Charles, and Jenn!

Sunrise from the Sky City Marriott overlooking the South China Sea on the Island of Lantau!

Beginning the cable car ride up to the Giant Bhudda!

Some people choose to walk the steps, instead of taking the 20 minute cable car ride to the top!

The Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge, a 34 mile bridge, tunnel system, the longest sea crossing in the world. The Bridge to nowhere!

The Giant Buddha!

268 steps to the Big Buddha!

Tai O Fishing Village boat ride with Margott and a new GN’R friend from Germany

South China Sea just outside the Tai O Fishing Village Harbor

Tai O Fishing Village

Thanksgiving dinner with friends at The Crystal Lotus at Disneyworld Hong Kong!

Getting ready to descend into the Sterkfontein Cave outside Johannesburg, South Africa!

Entrance to the Sterkfontein Cave.

At the bottom of the Sterkfontein Cave!

Limestone inside Sterkfontein Cave

Ascending from the Sterkfontein Cave Tour!

The Cradle of Humankind Museum South Africa

View of Johannesburg from the 50th floor of the Carleton Centre.

The Nelson Mandela Home in Soweto, South Africa

At Nelson Mandel’s home in Soweto, South Africa!

Bedroom in the Nelson Mandela Home

Portrait of Nelson Mandela in his home in Soweto

Nelson Mandela just before he left for prison.

Nelson Mandela when he returned home from prison.

Hotel Protea Marriott Johannesburg, South Africa. Guns N’ Roses fan meetup at the 24th floor rooftop bar with Nadine, Rabea’s husband, and Rabea from Germany and Toshie from Japan!

Concert day with Toshie, Riki, and Jaye!

On the rail with Toshie at PNB Stadium Johannesburg, South Africa!

On the rail with Toshie at FNB Stadium Johannesburg, South Africa!

On the rail with Toshie, Rabea & her husband, and Nadine!

Slash right above me!

Slash!

Duff McKagan Johannesburg, South Africa!

Axl!

Axl!

Axl Rose right above me Johannesburg, South Africa! Drummer Frank Ferrer on the big screen in the background!

Axl and Slash!

Slash Johannesburg, South Africa!

Slash Johannesburg, South Africa!

Prior to August 2015, the furthest distance I traveled to see a live musical event, or to meet a musical legend, was about 300 miles.  With a group of friends, we drove from the Long Island suburb of Huntington to the Carrier Dome in upstate Syracuse, to see the Rolling Stones in concert on November 27, 1981.  I was in high school and my friend’s older boyfriend drove.  As we drove north, it began to snow.  I remember this vividly because one of the people in our group was from Australia and he had never seen snow before.  It was quite the adventure and I must say we had pretty good seats! It was the 80’s and iconic bands sold out quickly, so we were only able to get tickets in Syracuse!

I should note that I did consider traveling to London’s Wembley Stadium a few years later to see Robert Plant and Jimmy Page perform.  My nana was going to give me the money for the trip, but none of my friends could come up with the money needed, so the trip was scrapped.

Fast forward to 2015. I decided to travel to Seattle, Washington for a free concert on the roof at The Pike Place Market, followed by a private fundraising party with some Rock&Roll legends including Guns N’ Roses Bass Player Duff McKagan.  Since then, I traveled three times from New York to Los Angeles in 2016 to attend a horror movie screening with Slash, the lead guitarist in Guns N’ Roses.  In 2016 and 2017, I saw GN’R ten times in concert venues across the Unites States, including major stadiums in New Jersey and Seattle, Washington, many arenas including the debut arena reunion performance at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, to the breathtakingly beautiful amphitheater The Gorge, just over the mountains from Seattle, considered one of the most scenic concert locations in the world!

In 2018, I took this to the next level and decided to travel to Laugardalsvollur football stadium in Reykjavik, Iceland at the end of July to see my beloved GN’R Rockers.  It was the final tour performance of the 2018 European leg and was the largest concert to date to ever be held in Iceland!  I had many friends in the U.S. and U.K. who were attending, and I actually kept it secret until I arrived at the departure gate at the airport.  The only person who knew was a good friend in the U.K., also attending.  Yes I will create adventure any way I can!  I took a photo of the screen with the flight information and posted it on Facebook, tagging all my friends who were already there, “Surprise see you all soon!”

Although it was a very short trip, I had a great time!  I arrived on a Monday morning and booked the full day Golden Circle Classic Tour, which first brought us to Pingvellir National Park, where the tectonic plates of North America and Europe meet!  Next, we stopped in Blaskogabyggo to feed some Iceland horses.  Did you know that Iceland horses are a rare breed?   They have a special gait, called the 4^thgait tolt, which is a very smooth gait.  You can ride this horse and carry buckets filled with water and you will never have to worry about spilling them.  When an Iceland horse leaves Iceland, it is not allowed to return.  No horses are permitted to enter Iceland as the people of Iceland wish to safeguard this breed.  As we traveled throughout the country side, we saw many fields of wild Iceland horses.  Next we went to the Gullfoss waterfalls, a simply breathtaking sight, where we were able to walk on the rocks, alongside the edge of the falls.  Our final visit was to the Geysir region where multiple hot springs erupt regularly.  Check out the photos below.  There was an opportunity for the adventurous ones in the group to climb to the highest elevation of a rocky hill that rivals my Runyan Canyon Friday morning hikes! If there is one thing I have learned in life, exercise is the key to staying young and fit!

Later that evening it was on to the Hard Rock Café in downtown Reykjavik to meet up with my friends who hail from the U.S., Finland, Japan, and the U.K.!  The Guns N’ Roses fan contingent is global!  For the single fan, this makes building adventurous vacations around global tour dates ideal!  For most GN’R trips, I typically make some new friendships and strengthen existing ones.  Huge thank you to my friend Julia from London who kept my secret about the trip!  It was great to get to know you and Lyn a lot better!  I also met new friends Natalia and Daniel from Helsinki, Finland.  The nicest couple you ever want to meet!  The next morning we arrived to the stadium early to line up for the GA pit.  This is an experience unto itself that builds the camaraderie of this devoted fan group.  Our goal of course, is to be on the rail at the stage.  A major Iceland news organization interviewed us, fascinated with our early arrival and queuing strategy.  Guns N’ Roses at Laugardalsvollur Stadium  The photo of the person on the right wearing a leather jacket with the Guns N Roses logo on the back is yours truly! If any of you are fluent in Icelandic, I would love a translation of this article.

We made it to the rail and our band of wildly talented Rock&Roll musicians powered through 33 timeless classics before the night was over, over 3 hours of epic musical masterpiece by legends in their mid 50’s!  The set list included Velvet Revolver’s “Slither”, the first time I heard a reunited GN’R perform a song by Slash’s band Velvet Revolver.  Why is this significant?  Slash formed Velvet Revolver after he left Guns N’ Roses in the mid 1990’s.  It was a bad breakup that lasted 23 years with Axl Rose and Slash not speaking with each other until late 2015.  Another favorite of mine, recently added to the setlist, is “Madagascar” from the 2008 Chinese Democracy album release.

Remember life is short and precious.  Make the most of it! Go see Guns N’ Roses!

Cover Photo Credits: Cynthia Drew at the Geysir in Reykjavik, Iceland

Guns N’ Roses early arrival fans Reykjavik, Iceland July 24, 2018.

Baggage Claim Reykjavik International Airport. Hi Slash!

View from my Hilton hotel room in Reykjavik!

Pingvellir National Park

Pingvellir National Park

Pingvellir National Park

Pingvellir National Park

Feeding an Iceland horse!

Iceland countryside!

Gullfoss Waterfalls

At the edge of the Gullfoss Waterfalls !

Gullfoss Waterfalls

Gullfoss Waterfalls

Iceland countryside

Iceland countryside, legend says this is two trolls kissing!

This geyser erupts every seven minutes!

Ssshhh! Don’t tell anyone I climbed to the top of that rocky hill as seen in the feature image!

Guns N’ Roses Fan Meetup Hard Rock Cafe Reykjavik!

Bottle opener for cousin Pam!

And the party continues at another bar in downtown Reykjavik where members of the band crew were hanging out earlier in the night!

And there we are! Crazy fools lining up earlier in the morning for an evening performance!

Slash tattoo

Cynthia and Carla at the rail!

Time flies when you’re swaying to and fro in the best damn Rock&Roll scene on the planet! Two words.  Chuck Wright’s Ultimate Jam Night (UJN).  The world famous Whisky A Go Go.  Oh all right, twelve very fine words to be exact.  And what is it exactly that channels such pure unbridled Rock&Roll passion?  Could it be extraordinary musical talent?  Could it be super cool committed fans? Could it be an unparalleled level of service that discerning fans demand?  Perhaps it’s the raw edge that Rock&Roll delivers that inspires us to take on the world!  Whatever it is, it’s here!

Simply put, the Ultimate Jam Night (UJN) rocks! It all begins with the very talented UJN House Band, featuring our Captain and UJN founder, legendary Bass player Chuck Wright, from Quiet Riot and Alice Cooper.  Then we have the Emcee of Emcees, Lead Singer and multi instrumentalist Paulie Z. from The Sweet and Rubix Cube, who sets the enthusiasm bar so high, we could all fly to the moon!  On lead guitar we have the legendary and very talented Mitch Perry from The Edgar Winter Band, who has performed with a long list of greats including Aerosmith and the Michael Shenker Group to name a few.  The man who keeps it all together, I give you the amazing Joe Travers on Drums from Billy Idol and Duran Duran.  To round out this amazing ensemble, we have the extremely versatile Walter Ino, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from Survivor.

Let me explain how this works.  Every week there is a very specific theme, with a well thought out list of songs representing.  Roughly 50+ very talented musicians are each given a specific assignment. They practice at home and meet their fellow performers on stage and perform live, completely unrehearsed!  I have to tell you, the level of talent and energy on this stage will completely blow you away!  Of course there are mistakes, but generally, even tough music critics will applaud the high level of technical execution.  And did I mention, there is often a brass or string section added, and sometimes a flute! The list of invited talent is deep and wide, spanning the generations.  To round out this well crafted and highly professional operation, perched high above the stage on the second floor, is a trio of backup singers Paulie Z. refers to as “the secret sauce”.  Now that you have the complete picture of talent, please note some of the wildly creative themes we have enjoyed this Spring!

• Mar 20: Power Trio – Songs from bands with only three members, including Rush and Zebra.
• Mar 27: Paul McCartney
• Apr 3: Heaven and Hell – Songs with these words in the title, including Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door and Hells Bells.
• Apr 10: Art of Instrumentals
• Apr 17: 80’s Hair Bands – From the legendary Whisky that gave birth to this incredible era! Once again Paulie Z sets the bar high in full Axl Rose hair and bandana.
• Apr 24: Rolling Stones
• May 1: Rock&Roll Hall of Fame – Songs from this year’s inductees.
• May 8: Pop Goes Rock – Taking very traditional “Pop” songs and adding a “Rock” flair to them. Brilliant fun!
• May 22: Ladies of the 80’s – Including Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper, and Madonna.
• Jun 5: Pride Night – Songs by artists and bands with LGBTQ members. This also served as a fundraiser for the Trevor Project which supports at risk LGBTQ teenagers.  Musical highlights included a brilliant rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody that brought us all to our knees.
• Jun 19: Southern Rock
• Jun 26: Funk, Rock & Soul
• Jul 10: Honoring the Life of David Z., brother to UJN Emcee & Lead Singer Paulie Z., who lost his young life in a terrible automobile accident while on tour just a year ago. Performing all of David’s favorite songs and raising money to fund a music scholarship in his name at Brooklyn College, highlights included Michael Jackson’s epic “Billie Jean”, Aerosmith’s “Dream On”, and a delightful romp of “Hey Mickey” with full dress cheerleaders on stage. The night concluded with an all ensemble vocal performance of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ with full audience participation!

The Whisky A Go Go is my home away from home and since my last update in March, I’ve attended so many great performances including Norwegian duo Ask Carol  opening the night on April 20.  You need to check them out!  On May 10, Adler’s Appetite performed GN’R hits to a very enamored and sold out crowd before embarking on a tour to Australia. Featuring Constantine Maroulis of American Idol fame on vocals, UJN regular Sean McNabb on Bass, and original Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler, energy ran high!  Direct support band honors were masterfully handled by up and coming local rock band “Classless Act”, founded by best friends London Hudson on Drums and Nico Tsangaris on Lead Guitar.  You might recognize the last name Hudson.  London is the eldest son of rock legend Saul Hudson, AKA Slash of Gun’s N’ Roses!  A very young and extremely talented band, the amazing Derek Day, also a UJN regular, is lead vocalist.  I highly recommend you check them out!  Headlining Saturday night May 19 was a solo performance by Steven Pearcy of RATT, with an impressive opening by Tommy Delaney and The Angel City Rockers!

Another staple for the Rock&Roll gymnast is the terrific Hunnypot Live show every other Monday night at The Mint!  On May 14, a young up and coming female talent known as The Songery brought out the crowds, as well as the band jackiO, comprised of legendary talent from Oingo Boingo.  I also really loved Old_Support on May 28, a folk rock grunge band with veteran talent who have performed multiple headlining shows on both coasts this year.

On Sunday April 8, I made a terrific little jaunt up to Ventura with some friends for the TRIBOO Classic Rock festival, featuring some very impressive cover bands including Led Zepplica and Hollywood Stones.  On April 22, it was on to the bi-annual Party in the Parking Lot at the world famous Rainbow Lounge Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip, featuring Faster Pussycat and Lynch Mob! Just an awesome day of music and fun!  Mark your calendars for Sunday September 2 for the Labor Day weekend bash!

On May 4, I caught  Kids On Bridges at The Viper Room all the way from Liverpool, UK. A young up and coming band, they describe themselves as “Dirty Filthy RDM, Pop Art Terrorists”.  They’re very talented and will hopefully be returning to America later this year.  I’ll keep you posted!

On May 6, supporting his first ever solo project “The Year Of The Tiger”, the incredibly talented Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge and Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators fame, brought down the house to a sold out crowd at Doug Weston’s The Troubadour.

On May 9, it was back to the iconic Hotel Cafe for a terrific evening with Nashville based Americana artist Szlachetka in support of his new album “Heart of My Hometown” by Grammy winning producer David Bianco.  Rolling Stone magazine hails this artist as one of the 10 new country artists you need to know.

On May 15, 2018, for the first time since May 1981, when I stood on the grass just in front of the stage at the annual Mayfest party at SUNY Albany, I had the incredible honor to see one of my all time favorite bands, U2!  Words can’t do justice to describe the incredible talent of this 4 person original member cast, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.!  Outspoken political activists with a rich repertoire of important music, they performed many favorites to span the decades from the very emotional “Sunday Bloody Sunday” to one of my newer favorites “Cedarwood Road”.  U2 is also raising awareness for a new movement #WOMENOFTHEWORLDTAKEOVER .  It’s a very important global effort and you should learn more.

On May 21, I experienced my first School Night at Bardot in Hollywood, with UK based  female trio Wildwood Kin. An indie alternative band, they just won the 2017 Bob Harris Emerging Artist of the Year Award, as well as earning two BBC Young Folk Award nominations.  They released their first album “Turning Tides” in August 2017.

On Sunday June 24, I drove over to Pasadena for my first big southern California music festival Arroyo Seco, on the vast grounds of the Rose Bowl.  I kicked off the afternoon at the Sycamore Stage with The Bangles performing all their classic hits, then on to the main stage for the incredibly talented Alanis Morissette.  Gary Clarke Jr, whose music I did not know prior to this festival, provided riveting direct support to headliner Robert Plant, touring to support his new album, performing title cut “Carry Fire” and “The May Queen”.  I hope he will add “Dance With You Tonight” and “Bluebirds Over the Mountain” to the live set.  Still with incredible vocal ability, presence, and charm, Plant brought down the house with Led Zeppelin classics “Going to California”, “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”, and “What Is and What Should Never Be”!

On Monday night June 25, it was on to my first Hollywood Bowl concert with the legendary Rod Stewart, now 73 years of age, who I first saw in concert on June 5, 1979 at Madison Square Garden.  Also performing with Stewart was the legendary Cyndi Lauper, now 67.   I salute both of these veteran artists, in awe of such passionate, energetic and brilliant vocal performances!

To close out the month, I returned to the Hotel Cafe Tuesday evening June 26, to see newly formed all female band Kitty Hawk. Nashville based, this terrific ensemble features Annie Bosko, Megan Mullins, and Annie Clements.  Sitting at the table next to us, and invited up to the stage to perform a song with the ladies, was American actress, singer, and producer Rita Wilson, long time wife of two time Oscar Winner Tom Hanks!

Musical immersion!  Let’s keep the light burning!

So I think it’s only fitting to lead you out with this stunning performance by two musical legends, in tribute to yet another, the one and only Freddie Mercury.  Enjoy!

Queen, Elton John & Axl Rose Bohemian Rhapsody

Cover Photo Credits: Ultimate Jam Night Features “80’s Hair Bands” at The Whisky A Go Go April 17, 2018 with UJN Emcee & House Band Lead Singer Paulie Z. in full Axl Rose attire!

Please note all photos below are of amateur quality intended to capture the essence of the moment, not excellence in digital photography.  Please feel free to reach out with any questions as to specifics and background story for each photo.  Enjoy!

I knew pretty quickly that moving to the land of music and sunshine was one of the best decisions I had ever made.  This thought was further cemented when I learned that the legendary Tom Keifer, lead singer and multi instrumentalist  of 80’s rock band Cinderella was scheduled to perform on my birthday, Saturday night April 14, at the world famous Whisky A Go Go, my new home away from home!  Most of you know how passionate I am about this wonderful genre we call Rock&Roll. Well, what you don’t know, and let me be the first to tell you, is that Tom Keifer now joins the coveted ranks of Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones to comprise the Rock&Roll Gymnast’s Top Five!

As I scanned the November 29, 2017 email newsletter from the ‘Whisky’, my eyes stopped dead in their tracks as I read “APR 14 Cinderella’s Tom Keifer”.  How could that not catch your attention?  I instantly bought a ticket and started to think about all those epic classics from the 80’s like “Nobody’s Fool”, “Don’t Know What You Got”, “Gypsy Road” and so many others.  The list of hits is long! And if you pay close attention, you will see that of the forty-three tracks Cinderella released across four albums (two of which earned 3X platinum certification and one platinum), you will see that not only is Tom Keifer the sole songwriter for all the single hit tracks, but he is the sole songwriter for all but four of all forty-three tracks, and for those four, he is a co-writer.  Do you have any idea how incredible that is?  It’s one thing to have presence on stage and extraordinary musical ability. It’s quite another to also have the gift of creating lyric and song to fill a person’s soul!  Of course this trend marches on in his new solo project release, where he is a writer or co-writer on all fourteen tracks.  

Following my concert ticket purchase, I immediately started following Tom Keifer on Twitter and set out to learn his new solo material from the “The Way Life Goes” album.  I went into iTunes and started listening to a few tracks. I immediately downloaded the entire album and proceeded to TomKeifer.com, where I purchased the Deluxe Edition “The Way Life Goes” fanpack.   Yes it was that great out of the gate, and of course devoted Rock&Roll fans simply cherish fanpacks!  In addition to the CD loaded with some riveting new material we’ll get to in a minute, there is a bonus DVD with a 30 minute documentary that brings you into the studio for an up close view of the actual production of the bonus tracks, produced by 3 time Grammy Award winning producer Vance Powell!  This includes a masterful cover performance of the Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends”.  And then to really knock it out of the park, Tom Keifer, in his infinite wisdom, brings in the incredibly talented Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, whose main musical influence is Keifer, to perform a simply epic duet of “Nobody’s Fool” that will bring you to your knees!

Now I was at a fever pitch and couldn’t wait for my birthday night to arrive!  Huge thank you to the Whisky owner for the lovely VIP booth and for all my friends who came to celebrate and watch this Rock&Roll legend, still rockin’ the stage at a very fit and young 57 years of age!  We were treated to a terrific mix of Cinderella classics including back to back “Don’t Know What You Got” right into “Nobody’s Fool”, with tears streaming down my face; to new releases “Solid Ground”, “It’s Not Enough”, and title cut “The Way Life Goes”. It was a full on rock explosion to a “packed to the rafters” sold out Whisky A Go Go!  I hope as Tom Keifer and his band continue to tour, we will be treated to live performances of the many more hit tracks on this epic new release, including “Ain’t That a Bitch”, “Ask Me Yesterday”, “Fool’s Paradise”, and “The Flower Song”.   “Yes of all the pretty flowers, baby I picked you!”

So there is one more point of “incredible” I need to share.  How many times have I used that word now?  I’m sure not enough!  In the lead up to this concert, I was trying to figure out how I had lost track of this multi platinum selling artist.  I did a little research and learned that in the early 90’s, Tom Keifer lost his voice. He went to many doctors over multiple years and finally learned that he had a vocal cord paresis, in layman’s terms, a partially paralyzed vocal cord.  This is a neurological condition for which there is no cure and he was told he would never sing again.  Determined to prove them wrong, he forged on in relentless pursuit of better options.  His determination paid off, thank goodness, and to this day, Tom Keifer has to do lengthy vocal exercises daily to train this partially paralyzed chord.  This is in addition to practicing piano and many different versions of guitars, writing songs, and raising a teenage son with musician wife and bandmate Savannah Snow!

Now you get a clear picture of  why Tom Keifer had made my “Top Five”.  Further, you should know that his performance Saturday night April 14 at the Whisky A Go Go was damn impressive!  And if that wasn’t enough, the performance this past Friday night, July 13 at the Pacific Amphitheatre was even better, accentuating with brilliant clarity, all those fine vocal curves he crafted back in the day.  There is no force on this planet that will tame the beast that lies inside of the incredible musical talent of Mr. Tom Keifer.  Bring it on baby and don’t ever look back !

I’ll leave you with this epic masterpiece.  Enjoy!

Tom Keifer Lzzy Hale Duet Nobody’s Fool

Cover Photo Credits: Tom Keifer VIP Meet&Greet and Soundcheck The Rose, Pasadena April 13, 2018

Tom Keifer VIP Meet&Greet and Soundcheck The Rose, Pasadena April 13, 2018

Tom Keifer VIP Meet&Greet and Soundcheck The Rose, Pasadena April 13, 2018

Tom Keifer VIP Meet&Greet and Soundcheck The Rose, Pasadena April 13, 2018

Tom Keifer Whisky A Go Go April 14, 2018

Tom Keifer Whisky A Go Go April 14, 2018

Tom Keifer Whisky A Go Go April 14, 2018

Tom Keifer Whisky A Go Go April 14, 2018

Tom Keifer Pacific Amphitheatre July 13, 2018

Tom Keifer Pacific Amphitheatre July 13, 2018

Tom Keifer Pacific Amphitheatre July 13, 2018

Tom Keifer Pacific Amphitheatre July 13, 2018

Tom Keifer Pacific Amphitheatre July 13, 2018

Tom Keifer Pacific Amphitheatre July 13, 2018

Tom Keifer Pacific Amphitheatre July 13, 2018

The email flew Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at 10:16 in the morning here in New York. I read it around noon. The Subject line read, “Nightrian Pre-Sale: 2 Vegas Shows Announced”. I quickly scanned the body of the email, “April 8, 2016 – Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena…Pre-sale password to appear on Account Dashboard at 12:55pm, ticket sales begin 1pm…” It was about to happen! I was minutes away from securing the best seats in the house to a historic Rock & Roll event, the debut reunion performance of one of the greatest bands in Rock & Roll history, an iconic band whose three original members, Axl Rose, Saul Hudson AKA Slash, and Duff McKagan, had not performed together since July 17, 1993 at the Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aries, Argentina. I started to cry, filled with such incredible emotion. Yes that’s what Guns N’ Roses means to me! I didn’t even notice the spelling typo in the email subject line… Nightrian. Hmm, perhaps a treasured fan artifact? Sitting on the edge of my chair, I became a proud Signature VIP ticketholder at 1:03pm, Section 3, Row D, Seat 10. Tickets to the general public went on sale 4 days later. They sold out before the day was over.

Guns N’ Roses had made their original comeback announcement to much fanfare on January 4, 2016 with the news that they will be headlining the Coachella Festival in Indio, California April 16 and 23, 2016. Tweets from @gunsnroses  @Slash  @DuffMcKagan and @axlrose, similar posts on Facebook and Instagram, and an email to fan club Nightrain members filled the hearts of legions of dedicated fans around the world that had been waiting for this moment for 20 years!

Of course there had been considerable speculation in the months leading up to this announcement, as reconciliation rumors swirled, original band members were increasingly in the spotlight, and changes to the current lineup began to emerge. In a May 7, 2015 interview with CBS, Slash revealed, “I gotta be careful what I say there. I mean, if everybody wanted to do it and do it for the right reasons, you know, I think the fans would love it. I think it might be fun at some point to try and do that, but…it just starts to get into a whole complex thing. But anyway, it’s really between the guys in the band.” Slash admitted that he and Axl Rose hadn’t spoken for “a long time,” but that most of their old tensions had eased. “We don’t have all those issues anymore,” he said. “There’s not a lot of controversy. It’s something that’s more perpetuated by the media than anything.”

On July 27, 2015, lead guitarist DJ Ashba announced he was leaving the latest Guns N’ Roses band member configuration. Soon after, guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal acknowledged his departure as well.

An August 2015  interview followed on Swedish TV Station Aftonbladet, where Slash revealed that becoming friends again with Axl Rose “..was probably way overdue..”

In December the band’s official website was updated with their classic logo. On December 24, the Guns N’ Roses Facebook page changed its profile picture to that of a screaming crowd. Then at the end of December, a mysterious trailer of a crowd going wild, to the tune of “Welcome to the Jungle”, was shown at screenings of the new ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ movie.

Guns N’ Roses reunion mania had now reached a fever pitch as we ushered in 2016, prompting lead singer Axl Rose to playfully tweet this denial on January 1. The much anticipated announcement came 3 days later to a completely enamored global Rock & Roll community!

Fast forward to Saturday evening February 13, 2016.   I’m at the London Hotel in Hollywood with Slash and 49 other very lucky fans for an Advanced Screening of “The Witch”.  There I meet one of GNR’s most dedicated fans, Margott Hinostroza, a true asset to the band and fans around the world. She alerted me to a specific Nightrain discussion thread and new Facebook Group attending the Las Vegas concerts. Terrific! I’m new to GNR’s fan club, “Nightrain” and very impressed by this band’s command of social media technology to engage their listener audience! Of course there is also a very active Guns N’ Roses community on Twitter, of which I am heavily engaged, and use as my primary source of band and band member information. As of this writing, I have 103.8k impressions in the past 28 days. 19 of my top 20 impressions are GNR related, with my top tweet earning 34,541 impressions and 816 engagements. What was it? I’ll get to that in a minute.

As we approached the April 8 and 9 concert dates, we moved to a new social media app called Celly, in order to chat and coordinate our Vegas activities. A meet up was set for Thursday evening April 7 at 10:30pm at the Center Bar at the New York, New York Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. Great! My flight was scheduled to arrive at 8:40pm.

Guns N’ Roses Fan Meet Up New York, New York Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, courtesy of Margott Hinostroza

It was an incredible evening as this energetic and devoted group took over the Center Bar! Fans flew in from across the United States to destinations as far away as South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia! I met new friends from Florida to northern California, New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands and more! I had only intended to stay until 11pm for the group photo, as I was still on New York time and completely exhausted, but the energy was palpable and kept me going a while longer!

The next morning I was up early for breakfast, so excited for the night ahead! Late morning though, that excitement turned to raw emotion, as one of the guys on our Celly App shared that Axl had fractured his ankle during last night’s practice, this from a very reliable source. I was aware that Axl had fallen early in GNR’s surprise club performance a week early at the Troubadour in Hollywood. I had also heard he had twisted his ankle at the practice for that event. I was incredibly worried at this point, but still hopeful it was simply a rumor. To be clear, I was never worried that Axl wouldn’t deliver. I knew he would. I simply wanted each and every member of this incredible Rock & Roll band to have the experience of a lifetime, just like me!

Then our legendary and beloved singer brought us into the fold with this tweet, “This is what can happen when you do something you haven’t done in nearly over 23 years, “Internal Fixation”. I was thrilled at the optimistic tone of the tweet and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Rachel Triche’s message!  I wanted my singer to be on top of the world, like I was! Still though, it was sobering news. Having some personal experience with this, I can tell you there is tremendous swelling in the first 48 hours following a surgery like this, and you’re supposed to keep your foot above the level of your chest, otherwise it becomes miserable quickly. When I had my surgery, I was very “gymnastics” fit and decidedly younger, with fierce energy and optimism, and I can tell you those first couple of days were very difficult.

I immediately thought of this amazing group of fans I had met last night and the awesome group photo we had taken, thank you Margott Hinostroza! So yes, my number one tweet in the past 28 days, with 34,541 impressions and 816 engagements as of this writing reads “@axlrose @gunsnroses the rumors are true. WE LOVE YOU SEE U TONIGHT !!

Thankfully I still had time to settle myself down and rest up before heading over to the red flags stationed in the T-Mobile Plaza at 5:45pm, to claim my spot on the Signature VIP line. I had carefully crafted my outfit and was feeling incredibly fit and young in my newly crowned “Signature Guns N’ Roses” boots. I spoke to a few people, met a friend for an early dinner, then headed over to the Plaza.

As your level of Guns N’ Roses fan engagement increases, you quickly see the magnitude of this Band and the people who follow them. I’ve never seen anything like it! And I’ve been a Rock & Roll fan since the 1970’s. Obviously the members of Guns N’ Roses have extraordinary talent, but the level of intensity, integrity, and commitment to their craft is unparalleled. You can catch a glimpse of it here, in this provocative August 31, 1990 MTV Axl Rose interview on the Kurt Loder Famous Last Words series.

As Slash penned in his 2007 New York Times bestselling memoir ‘Slash’, “I’d done everything in my power from the day we got together to make Guns N’ Roses the best band in the world. I’d put my heart and soul into everything we did and I regret none of my contributions in the least. We did things other bands only dream of; in just a few years, we surpassed goals that took bands like the Stones decades to achieve. I don’t like to brag, but if you research it at all, you’ll see that what we did in the time frame we did it is something unsurpassed in the history of rock and roll.”

Yes we certainly do see that and no, Slash is not bragging. He is one of the most humble and down to earth rock super stars on the planet, consistently standing up for important causes, like the slaughter of innocent elephants to further the Ivory Trade, or performing live at a club on the Sunset Strip to raise much needed funds for a musician friend battling cancer.

We get another glimpse of the motivation and essence behind the genius of Guns N’ Roses in Duff McKagan’s 2011 New York Times bestselling memoir ‘It’s So Easy’, that kicked off with one of Duff’s signature “Rock & Roll Cool” Rock Book Show interview at the landmark BOOKENDS bookstore in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

The full picture becomes complete though, when you arrive at the T-Mobile Plaza opening night to the long listing queues of the multiple VIP level ticketholders. I entered the line next to two women who had each traveled all the way from New Zealand and Australia.

Tahnee King, Clare Fairless, and Cynthia Drew T-Mobile Plaza

Clare Fairless, a forensic scientist, wife and mother of 2 small children, flew 15 hours from New Zealand to Los Angeles, then rented a car and drove 4 hours to Vegas. This is the 3^rd continent where she has seen Guns N’ Roses perform, and the first with this classic lineup. Tahnee King made a similar trek from Australia. There were many single warriors like us, couples, and even a family of four from Atlanta. Mom and dad brought their two teenage sons! One couple purchased Signature VIP tickets for both nights! Wow that’s dedication!

At 6:45pm we were promptly ushered into the T-Mobile Arena and the Signature VIP group was broken out into two groups. I was in group one and could hardly believe that shortly I would be up on the stage! But, as we know, schedules are always fluid. Suddenly, I realized the band was in the house and they were doing their sound check. I could hear them! The epic ballad “November Rain” was playing! Tears filled my eyes and a wave of emotion took over. It’s emotional still to write about it. We were told a “change in plans” and escorted to the top of the arena to the VIP Hyde Park lounge. What an absolutely incredible experience as we all watched the sound check from this club lounge high in the rafters. Axl sounded amazing! They all sounded amazing! What remarkable luck! Normally, you would never have access to the sound check. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door and Welcome To The Jungle followed. We all stood there mesmerized, our mouth’s agape. I’m not even sure the band knew we were there. I could clearly hear Axl giving instructions. Words can’t begin to describe what I was feeling!

Guns N’ Roses Sound Check April 8, 2016 T-Mobile Arena

Floating on cloud nine, we were escorted back down to stage level, each of us wearing a second red checkered bracelet, giving us access to the stage and backstage areas. Security was very tight.

Cynthia Drew in the pit.

Backstage

Band Member Swag, Frank Ferrer drumstick, Duff McKagan wristband and pic

We chatted in the general admission pit briefly, then were led up the stairs onto the stage for our individual photo at this historic Rock & Roll event! This is why I purchased the Signature VIP ticket. I will carry this memory with me for the rest of my life! Next was the backstage tour, where we learned about the incredible haul of equipment and staff necessary to put on a production of this magnitude, and of course in this unique situation, a complete last minute reconfiguration of the stage and nearby seating, to accommodate Axl’s injury. We then spotted Keyboardist Dizzy Reed coming out of the catering room! As we wrapped up this memorable tour, feeling quite emboldened in the moment, we negotiated for some band member swag. Yes! Memories of a lifetime! We were escorted out of the “secure zone” and some of us went back up to the VIP lounge for a while. At 10:45pm we made our way down to our seats. The vibe was pure Rock & Roll cool, and everyone was smiling and sharing stories.

Suddenly, the lights went out and the arena went wild! I could see Slash and Duff enter the stage. They stood on the side, in the dark, apparently waiting for Axl to come out. The audience was chanting, “Guns N’ Roses!” The Looney Tunes theme started to play. Brilliant! From the back of the stage, I begin to make out this large contraption. At first I thought it was a rack on which to hang all of the guitars, but no, they wouldn’t bring that out in front. Then I see Axl sitting atop this large platform on wheels. Okay! This is how they’re going to do it! Later in the performance we would learn that this was the “Throne” Foo Fighter’s David Grohl used last year when he broke his leg on tour. I did not see this during the sound check and wonder how and when David Grohl got this very large item from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, on a minute’s notice, in just one day. Of course David Grohl and the Foo Fighters are terrific! Axl and the GNR guys were very grateful for their efforts, evidenced by Axl’s repeated thank you messages during the concert and tweets to follow, Axl Rose tweet, Duff McKagan tweet.

The lights went on and Guns N’ Roses took the stage to a full standing ovation! It was 11:57PM and the crowd was electric! The energy could have propelled us to the moon! More tears flowing from pure unbridled emotional, as our legendary rockers opened with “It’s So Easy”, perhaps in tribute to their humble beginnings. Written by Duff McKagan and West Arkeen, this was GNR’s first single release on June 15, 1987 in the UK, and the staple concert opener for the Appetite for Destruction tour way back when.

The set continued with Mr. Brownstone, a controversial yet beloved anthem written about the degree of heroin addiction in the band and “..as the evils would say, too much of everything all the time..” It’s significant to acknowledge the degree of sobriety and tranquility we understand today, following well documented years of struggle and admitted “debauchery”. We’re glad you’re still in the game guys! Your extraordinary raw talent and commitment to your craft is historic and game changing. Welcome home!

Next the band dove right into the title track of Chinese Democracy, GNR’s latest album release in 2008; giving some of us Appetite and Illusion era fans food for thought on the latest band member configuration. They did not disappoint! Rhythm Guitarist Richard Fortus delivered a powerful and solid technical performance, with great presence and agility on stage. I loved the fierce tuck jump stomp, perfectly synchronized to the downbeat of the audience intro to “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”. Frank Ferrer was masterful on the drums knocking out a powerful and tight percussion set. Forever a fan of the keyboard section, I love that Guns N’ Roses added their first female member, the very talented Melissa Reese, who joined a guy that needs no introduction, Mr. Dizzy Reed. They added a unique and melodic texture that simply rounded out the mastery of collective talent on this stage. Yes, Guns N’ Roses continues to evolve their creative genius that only masterful musical legends offer to their fans.

Axl Rose and Duff McKagan

Slash

Duff McKagan

Axl Rose, Duff, and Slash

It would be the 4^th number in the set though, that broke this historic night wide open. The epic hit that propelled this eclectic group of “full on committed Rock & Roll talent” from the debauchery of Hollywood alleys and “Hell House” to Rock super stardom the world over, “Do you know where you are ? You’re in the Jungle Baby!..”

Before the night was over, 2 hours and 28 minutes later, Guns N’ Roses would perform 20 epic masterpieces spanning the evolutionary history; from the early days of their meteoric rise to fame, catapulted on the debut best selling album in American music history, Appetite For Destruction in 1987, to GNR Lies, Use Your Illusion I and II, and Chinese Democracy in 2008. As this incredible night played out, fans were treated to the majesty of one of the greatest voices in Rock & Roll, the epic power and lofty highs of the four octave vocal range of a now 54 year old Axl Rose, delivered on top of a mighty “Throne”, some 24 hours after undergoing surgery to drill metal into a fractured 5^th metatarsal bone in his left foot. It was f*&%*n incredible !

The audience was treated to fierce fan favorites like “You Could Be Mine” from the ‘Use Your Illusion II’ album, that opens with Slash’s epic “WAH WAH WAH” on the electric guitar, to the brilliant and masterful lyrical prose of Axl Rose, “I’m a cold heart breaker fit to burn, and I’ll rip your heart in two. And I’ll leave you lying on the bed..” As the band powered through all the classics from the Appetite and Illusion albums, a powerful high point of the night that brought me to tears once again, arrived with the purely passionate and emotional performance of “This I Love” from ‘Chinese Democracy’. Axl Rose delivered a stunning range of emotion, scale and dynamics, an exquisite voice floating above an epic performance on the electric guitar, Slash’s first for this ballad, silhouetted in white shining light, in a classic, almost effortless pose of pure emotional abandon. Slash, who is one of the world’s greatest musicians on the electric guitar, brought his veteran and extraordinary skill to a whole new level in this debut reunion event. It was incredible to witness! The next pivotal moment came with the performance of “Coma” from ‘Use Your Illusion I’, affectionately referred to as “Slash’s baby”, an epic ballad of hope and inspiration, and the first time the band has performed this live since 1993.

Of course what makes this event historic is the reconciliation of three exceptionally talented musicians, who somehow found each other, and created something rare and beautiful, beyond anything they ever dreamed possible; an incredibly gifted and passionately driven lead singer, overflowing with emotion and commitment to the music pure and simple; a humble and quiet top hatted persona who pours every ounce of emotion into the electric guitar; and a Seattle born rocker with Punk Rock roots, determined to follow in the footsteps of his musical idols. Well ladies and gentlemen, this is the formula that delivered an epic and unforgettable moment in Rock & Roll history, the opening night of the Guns N’ Roses reunion concert, Friday night April 8, 2016, at the brand new T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas strip, a night fans have been dreaming about for 20 years!

I hope you get an opportunity to see this historic “#NotInYourLifetime” tour that kicks off Thursday, June 23 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and wraps up Monday, August 22, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. Don’t wait. Tickets are going fast. Of course, if a venue is sold out, please reach out to a fan club member, a fiercely dedicated and loyal group of folks who will do everything they can to help you secure tickets. Count on it.

As I don’t wish to spoil the grandeur of what you will witness, I’d like to leave you with a simple and powerful reminder of the genius of this extraordinary band we love so dearly… that we remember from that fabled night, some 23 years ago, July 17, 1993 at the Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aries, Argentina, “..so never mind the darkness, we still can find a way, nothing lasts forever, even cold November Rain …”

I’d like to acknowledge some lovely people who contributed valuable support and energy in the writing of this post, and with whom I shared this incredible experience. Margott Hinostroza, Tina Cole, Nir Regev, Tahnee King, Claire Fairless, Margo Lombardi Sykes, Korine Dobbins, Barrel O Bourbon, our Vegas Celly group, Jennifer Weintraub Iverson, Robyn Bryson, David Paul, and Bea Seravello.

Axl Rose courtesy of Margott Hinostroza

Axl Rose on the Throne

Axl Rose foot cast courtesy of Margott Hinostroza

Richard Fortus and Frank Ferrer courtesy of Margott Hinostroza

Melissa Reese courtesy of Margott Hinostroza

Duff McKagan, Axl Rose, and Slash Goodnight Bow courtesy of Margott Hinostroza

Guns N’ Roses Classic Logo